I am a bit worried. In so many ways we have come to accept the presence of the pandemic and all that came with it. The drama has settled down and the rhetoric has reduced.
The requirement we stay away from one another for quite some time was a necessary safety decision. Everyone went home to their kitchen table, or if you were lucky, their home office. We got the work done the best we could. It was a remarkable feat.
However, there was a price.
My concern is based on observations of my executive coaching clients, colleagues, friends, and family. People are reporting more depression and anxiety, greater sense of social and workplace isolation. They are lonely.
We know a mental health crisis is sweeping the country. I do not deny there are many chronically mentally ill people but what about those who were seemingly fine pre-pandemic? What happened? What can leaders in the workplace do to help?
Working from home (WFH) has gone from being the only option, to sometimes a choice and other times mandated. Decisions are made by top management and at the same time employees decide what they need and want. There is little agreement among leaders. Google wanted people back early, while IBM sold a significant amount of workspace, forcing many to work from home whether they liked it or not.
Some employees were happy to give up their hour plus commute and tight noisy cubicle to operate from home full time. Others needed a mix of home and office, and a few thought that going back to the office was the best idea.
Whatever they decided, it was often based on what was best for productivity, not necessarily mental health, or family stability. When it comes to that, people are on their own.
Reading research on the topic, the issue became clearer to me. Working away from the office had a few problems, which contributed to more workers reporting depression and anxiety than existed pre-pandemic. It was manifesting itself in less productivity, reduced job satisfaction, irritability, team in-fighting, and in some cases, retention issues from quality employees.
What we do know is:
Telework minimized, or completely abandoned, face-to-face interaction. It became clear to almost everyone that a Zoom meeting is not the same as an in-person meeting. (Just a good, supposed, short-term antidote.) To add to the challenges, therapist and EAP professionals are now working remotely, so using their services puts you back on the same platform.
Many companies tried their best to create social events online. They were successful, to an extent, but were not a solution. Few have continued. The suggestion that people try to meet up with colleagues either online or in-person for social interaction has been positive. It does require commitment to get the results desired, but worth it. Companies scheduling in-person offsites have increased but it is rare all employees are invited.
Working from home caused a reduction in exchanges of information.Since you cannot physically see what is going on with other team members, you must rely on what you view and hear on the screen or with Slack. Because of this, people feel under informed, out of the loop, and/or minimized. The information delivered is often goal and process oriented, lacking a human touch and perspective. Employees aiming for promotions fear their limited interaction with decisionmakers will delay or prevent their rise up the ladder, leading to frustration. Factions are created among the “always in” the office, “sometimes in” the office, and “100% remote.” The last group claiming they are forgotten or excluded. Challenges for everyone. Another cause of social and workplace isolation, depression, and anxiety.
Leaders are required to operate and communicate in a manner much different than before. They must read the needs and wants of their staff in a new way, something they had never experienced nor were trained to do. Many leaders need sensitivity training and that isn’t about to happen. They are on their own, generally learning by doing. The suggestion to increase all levels and types of communication is exhausting and time consuming for all involved. Deciding what is necessary and appropriate is a constant struggle. There is no reason to believe that those who lead are handling the isolation and loneliness any better than their team members. Yet, they are expected to be sensitive, pro-active with solutions. Hard ask.
Admitting that the many shifts at work and home all of us have made, for very good reasons, has taken a toll on our mental health. Some of us are naturally more resilient, others hide our feelings from ourselves and others. Everyone is important and deserving. There are people in our workplaces who need support and help. At times professional assistance is the best choice. That does not take away the power of other human interaction, support, and caring from all levels, internal and external.
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